Super Bowl XLVI: Lessons to be learned, part II

An estimated 177 million viewers — or more than 56 percent of the current U.S. population — watched at least six minutes of Super Bowl XLVI. That staggering statistic should set aside any doubt about the popularity of football … and what a huge moneymaker it is for all parties involved.

While the Giants were celebrating and the Patriots were recovering on Super Bowl Monday, the Post University Sport Management Club gathered to share some research on just how big this event is from an economic standpoint. Through a series of impressive presentations during the inaugural “Post University Super Bowl Seminar,” the club and its faculty advisors discussed The Big Game’s impact at both the national and local levels.

Here are a few facts that demonstrate the scope of the Super Bowl from a financial point of view:

Every player of the winning team received an $88,000 bonus. The “losers” got $44,000. That’s more than $8,500,000 above and beyond player salaries.

Estimates of income generated within the host city of Indianapolis range from $200 million to $500 million, depending on who you talk to. The NFL likes to quote the higher number.

People wagered $100 million legally, and some say 20 times that amount illegally.

The Super Bowl is the apex of American sporting events, bringing the best of the best onto the field of competition while millions watch. What’s often forgotten is the broad range of talented people needed off the field to produce a world-class sporting event.

At Post University, the sport managers of tomorrow are preparing their own game plans, watching and learning from the sidelines and preparing themselves to enter the job market ready to run with the ball. Watching this team in action on Super Bowl Monday, learning and sharing under the guidance of passionate teacher practitioners, turned just another game into something personal and meaningful.

One Comment

You asked a wonderful question back in the first article. You asked was it worth it for companies to advertise their product for 3.5 million dollars. Well after looking at these staggering numbers, I would absolutely say "YES! YES IT IS!" There is no other program in the world that ever gets 56 % of the American population plus people from more than 40 other countries to watch it. On top of that, if the commercial is witty, it may be talked about for days, or in some cases, even years later. Great articles on the breakdowns of all the money that goes into the biggest sporting event in the world.Oh, and one more thing… It isn't "somebody" who yells "I'm going to Disney World" after the game. It is the Superbowl MVP. Just thought you would like that tidbit of information.